'Electric pace' 'Top keeper': Five Middlesbrough players to watch in 2021 as Warnock assesses academy options

The Teessiders have seen several players break into the senior side over the last few seasons, with the likes of Dael Fry, Marcus Tavernier, Djed Spence and Hayden Coulson making the step up.

Warnock has also identified Boro’s third round FA Cup trip to Brentford as an opportunity to blood more youngsters and assess the players who may be ready for a first-team call-up.

We take a closer look at who to look out for in 2021:

Nathan Wood

Boro fans will already be familiar with the 18-year-old centre-back who made his Boro debut under Tony Pulis aged just 16 years and 72 days.

Since then, Wood, son of former Middlesbrough left-back Dean Gordon, has continued his development playing for the under-23 side.

The teenager had to wait to earn his first league start, which came during Boro’s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in October, but the centre-back proved he was ready.

Wood produced a man of the match display at the Riverside, winning headers, positioning himself well and demonstrating impressive distribution when playing out from the back.

If it wasn’t for the excellent form of Fry and Paddy McNair, there would have been more opportunities for Wood this campaign.

He is still only 18, remember. The best is still to come.

Sam Folarin

From the start of pre-season, Warnock was impressed by the pacy winger – even if he couldn’t remember his name.

“Sam… I can’t tell you his second name,” said Warnock during a Zoom press conference as his side geared up for the 2020/21 campaign.

The Boro boss went on to say he’d loved watching the young flanker in training, with Folarin prepared to take players on and run at defenders.

Warnock will know more about the 20-year-old now after advising the club to offer Folarin a new contract until 2023.

The winger has regularly been in Boro’s matchday squad this season as Warnock believes he can make a difference off the bench.

Folarin’s progression to the senior side has happened quickly after the winger was taken on a trial from non-league side Tooting and Mitcham in 2019.

When asked about Folarin following a pre-season friendly at Bishop Auckland that summer, Boro under-23s boss Graeme Lee described the winger as someone with ‘electric pace and raw talent.’

Warnock will now hope to unlock that ability.

Sol Brynn

The highly-rated goalkeeper signed a new three-year deal in the summer and has been at the club since the age of nine.

Warnock had no concerns when allowing Aynsley Pears to join Blackburn in October, saying: “We've got a good young lad who can be number three."

Perhaps the next move for Brynn should be to leave Boro on loan to gain more first-team experience, like Pears did when signed for National League side Gateshead for the 2018/19 season.

Brynn has certainly earned promising reviews from people who have seen him play.

The 20-year-old has attended England training camps at youth level and frequently travelled with Boro’s first team over the last year.

After the keeper signed a new deal back in July, BBC Tees commentator Neil Maddison tweeted: “Sol is a top top GK, looking forward to see how he develops.”

Daniel Dodds

The 19-year-old right-back has been namechecked by Warnock on a couple of occasions when praising the club’s academy.

"I like Doddsy the right-back, I think he’ll make a good living,” the Boro boss told the Twe12thMan podcast during a recent interview.

Born in Northumberland, Dodds started his career at Newcastle United before moving to Teesside in 2017.

Since then, he’s been a regular for Boro at under-18 and under-23 level, impressing coaches with his energy and ability to support attacks on the flank.

Dodd has contributed with goals and assists this season, like when he opened the scoring in a 3-0 win over Burnley at Heritage Park earlier in the campaign.

With Djed Spence and Anfernee Dijksteel both competing for the right-back spot at Boro, Dodd may find it tricky to break into the first-team set-up this year.

The future certainly looks bright for the youngster, though, and we may see more of him when Warnock chooses to take a look at some of the club’s prospects.

Hayden Hackney

The central midfielder has been earning promising reviews since helping Boro’s under-18 side reach the Premier League Cup Final in 2019.

Hackney signed his first professional contract with Boro a few months later and has stepped up to the under-23s side over the last two seasons.

Former Middlesbrough boss Jonathan Woodgate rated the 18-year-old highly and called Hackney up to the first-team squad for a Championship game against Barnsley last season.

“Hayden Hackney deserves to be there because he's been outstanding for the Under-23s,” Woodgate told the press in November 2019.

Neil Warnock has also been impressed by the teenager. “Hayden Hackney, he looks like he knows what he’s doing,” said the Boro boss during his interview with the Twe12thMan podcast.

Hackney often operates in a deep-lying midfield role due to his qualities on the ball, while he also has the energy to contribute at both ends of the pitch.

We’ve also seen the quality Hackney can produce from dead-ball situations, after his stunning free-kick against Wolves was nominated for Boro’s November goal of the month award.

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